Guide
Gas boiler or heat pump: how to choose
One is a quick swap with no grant. The other is a bigger job with up to €14,500 in grants for a house. Here's how to choose.
Figures checked against citizensinformation.ie, seai.ie and installers' published price pages on 28 October 2026.
A new gas boiler is the quicker, simpler swap for most Dublin houses on the gas network: €2,200–€3,300 like-for-like with VAT, and no grant. A heat pump is a bigger job but carries grants of up to €14,500 for a house, including €2,000 for scrapping the old boiler.
Which suits you depends on how well the house holds its heat, your radiators, your budget up front, and how long you plan to stay.
Side by side
| New gas boiler | Heat pump | |
|---|---|---|
| Grant | None for the boiler | Up to €14,500 for a house |
| Installed price, Dublin | €2,200–€3,300 like-for-like, incl. VAT | We don't publish one: get quotes |
| Home must be | Any home on the gas network | Built and occupied before 2021 for the grant |
| Before you start | A survey and a fixed price | A technical assessment for homes built before 2007 (€200 grant), unless the BER shows low heat loss |
| Hot water | Combi: on demand. System: cylinder | Cylinder |
| Who fits it | An RGI-registered gas installer | An SEAI-registered heat pump installer, for the grant |
| Time on site | Usually a day for a straight swap | Longer: outdoor unit, cylinder, often radiators |
Prices: GB Gas Services, 19 Oct 2026. Grants: Citizens Information, page edited 22 October 2026, checked 28 October 2026. Technical assessment: SEAI, checked October 2026.
The heat pump grants, in full
| Grant | Amount |
|---|---|
| Heat pump (house, all types except air to air) | €6,500 |
| Renewable heat bonus | €4,000 |
| Central heating upgrades, like new radiators | €2,000 |
| Boiler scrappage (oil or gas boiler removed) | €2,000 |
| Total for a house | €14,500 |
| Technical assessment (separate, before you apply) | €200 |
The €2,000 scrappage grant is paid when a fossil fuel heating system, oil or gas, is scrapped and replaced with a heat pump. Citizens Information says it's available since 6 October 2026, and homes with a heat pump application already in progress get it automatically.
When a heat pump is worth a serious look
- The house is well insulated, or you're insulating it anyway
- A BER shows a Heat Loss Indicator of 2.3 or less, or you can get it there
- You have space outside for the unit and inside for a cylinder
- You plan to stay in the house for years
- Your oil or gas boiler is near the end of its life now, not in five years
When a gas boiler is still the practical choice
- The boiler has failed and you need heat this week
- The house loses heat fast and insulation isn't planned yet
- No space for a cylinder or an outdoor unit
- You may sell in the next couple of years
- You can't fund the gap between a heat pump quote and the grant
What makes heat pumps different
A heat pump runs at lower water temperatures than a gas boiler, for longer. In a draughty house with small radiators, rooms can feel cool. That's why SEAI asks for a technical assessment of heat loss before the grant for older homes, and why the €2,000 central heating grant exists: bigger radiators are common. Insulation first, then the heat pump, is the usual order.
No grant covers both
No grant pays for the gas boiler. And if you take the heat pump grant, you can't also claim the €700 heating controls grant, according to SEAI. Decide the direction first.
Get real prices for both
Use the price check for a fixed price on a new gas boiler from an RGI installer who covers your area. Get heat pump quotes from SEAI-registered installers. Then compare the two prices after grants, with VAT, side by side.
Questions people ask
Is a heat pump cheaper than a gas boiler?
Not up front. A gas boiler swap is €2,200–€3,300 with VAT and gets no grant. A heat pump costs more, but grants of up to €14,500 for a house close much of the gap. Get quotes for your house.
Can I get the scrappage grant if I fit a new gas boiler?
No. The scrappage grant is only paid when the old fossil fuel system is replaced with a heat pump.
Does my house need to be insulated for a heat pump?
It needs to hold its heat well. Homes built before 2007 need a technical assessment first, unless a valid BER shows a Heat Loss Indicator of 2.3 or less.
Who can install a gas boiler?
Only an RGI-registered gas installer. By law, gas work in Ireland must be done by an RGI.
See your price, then get a fixed quote
Three taps show the Dublin installed price for your job. Or call 087 162 1846 between 8am and 8pm and we pass you to one RGI-registered gas installer who covers your area.